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Career Quick Look
| Salary: |
$20K to start (increases as you earn licenses)
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Education:
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| Years
in Field: |
6 |
FCC general license in Avionics; Certificate of Completion for Fiber Optics Training; currently testing for Air Frame and Power Plant certificates. |
| City/State: |
Oakland, CA |
View Dolores Johnson's Resume
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"Whenever I talk to incoming female students, I tell them to take themselves and the program seriously," Dolores says. "And how important it is to ask questions and not be intimidated - because that was my problem, at first."
Getting Started:
"I was a stay-at-home mom when I was introduced to a government-funded self-help program," Dolores recalls. The program is designed to help people re-enter the workforce, change careers, or start their own business. "At my age, I realized I'd need something that would be a career," she says. "Something I would take some training for. That's when I found out about the aviation program."
To support herself while studying, Dolores took a job as a sales associate with Macy's - which she admits was "scary" after so many years at home. She found the job flexibility and the chance to "prove my work ethic and my capability" has been helpful in many ways. In her two years as a sales associate she's received three outstanding sales commendations, and been named Associate of the Month.
Education:
Dolores started with the Introduction to Aviation program at College of Alameda, where she says students learned about "every field that was possible, and what the requirements were. We had different people come from different airlines to speak to us about what positions they had available."
Dolores chose to tackle aviation maintenance, and prepared herself with some algebra and computer classes just before her program began. The book-learning aspect was never a problem for Dolores, who had little trouble passing her written tests in Air Frame and Power Plant. But when it came to oral and practical exams, she says, "I really wasn't getting it. I was trying to memorize it." Having attempted the oral section a number of times, she says she finally realized she needed to change her emphasis. Now that she's completed her FCC general license, she's going back to her remaining orals with a new attitude. "I'm not going for grades," she says. "I'm going for understanding. This is important to me."
Happily for Dolores, she's already been awarded a scholarship with United Airlines, to pursue further training once these are under her belt.
The school's aviation facilities are extensive, she says. "We've got our own aircraft, our own computer labs, we have everything." Dolores says she was also impressed with "the caliber of instructors," at COA. "And the fact that our classes really aren't that big - it's kind of like private school. And you'll be in the same class with the same instructor all day, and you go from 7:15 in the morning until 2 in the afternoon, so it's a full day of being with one instructor, which I think is important."
Greatest Professional Achievement:
"Teaching me self-esteem," Dolores says, has been the best reward so far. As a stay-at-home mother for more than twenty years, she says the idea of starting her job at Macy's - let alone tackling algebra and aircraft mechanics - was frightening at first. "I had no idea I could focus.if somebody would have told me a few years ago that I could do that," she says, she would not have believed it.
Winning the scholarship to United is a big boost as well, and with her new found confidence Dolores is ready to prove herself. "I am so thrilled because I know I can do this," she says.
Barriers:
Dolores has endured more than her share of life's obstacles, losing both her sons to violence in Oakland - one of them only weeks before she started the course. The memory of her youngest son's encouragement - he had dragged her to the downtown library to do some research before the first class - may have helped Dolores' fierce determination to succeed. "Everybody says 'well how did you do that?'" she says, but for Dolores the program was critical in keeping her busy, helping her life find new focus, getting her back on her feet. "This was like the light and the hand right there, saying 'come on, you've got something else to do, you can't dwell on this, you have to go on."
Working with Men:
Her own early struggles in the program prompted Dolores to volunteer to speak to incoming women in the aviation program, to help them know what's ahead. "I tell them how important it is to ask questions and don't be intimidated - because that was my problem," she says. "After some of the men make a couple of jokes, you just shut up."
In classes and especially in the hands-on environment, Dolores says that standing your ground is important, making sure you get equal time handling the tools. "Just making your place," as she says.
Advice for Women:
Dolores says no matter your background, any work or school experience can be useful in getting a start. "Take everything seriously no matter what age you are," she says, "because it all is going to help you in the long run ... and realize that all jobs are important."
"When it comes to getting into aviation," Dolores says,. "Make sure you learn everything completely - if you have questions, don't go to the next level until you get those questions answered. You'll only end up backtracking and wasting time. Because it doesn't just come, you have to learn it."
Most of all, she says, "Don't be afraid to learn."
Typical Workday/Environment:
Dolores says she's never been an 'office' person, and was attracted to the airport environment, to working as part of a team. "I wanted something that would be challenging and pay a decent salary," she says.
"Getting comfortable with tools is important," she says - and it also has benefits. "Once I started studying the aviation and got my tools, I started fixing everything around the house," Dolores laughs. "You're not going to believe this, but I changed an aircraft tire before I changed a car tire. I never would change my own car tire. So one day . I had a flat. And I did it in about six minutes, because there's no comparison, believe me. The car tire was a piece of cake!"
Career Ladder:
Dolores says she discovered the field of aviation is wide open with opportunities - "from customer service to mechanics," she says. While she's enjoyed her foundation in aircraft maintenance, she says she plans to take advantage of the United program to learn about all kinds of specialized jobs.
"I'm keeping my mind totally open," she says. "I'm just going to open myself up to whatever comes at me, and that's where I'm going."
Professional Associations:
Dolores is a member of Women in Aviation.
Hobbies:
Dolores says she loves to be outdoors in her off time, and enjoys camping and fishing. "I like to watch sports," she says, "and listen to music." After a long day of school and work, she says she's often happiest "just kicking back, spending time with my boyfriend."
In memory of her sons, and of other young victims, Dolores is also active in an Alameda County program to remember those children killed by violence, and reach out to teenagers who might be at risk.
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